The Romantic Ambiance Equation
by FoxPhile
Summary: One-shot. Leonard is planning a big surprise. Written for the Lenny Week prompt: Vacation.


**Author's Note: This is my second contribution for Lenny Week 2014. The prompt for today is **_**Vacation**_**. Enjoy.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own **_**The Big Bang Theory or any of its characters**_**. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I make no profit and no infringement of copyrights is intended.**

. . . . . . . .

Penny walked in the door of Apartment 4B and tossed her keys in the bowl by the door. She let the door stand open behind her and bounced down on the couch where her fiancé, Leonard, was engrossed in something on his laptop. Seeing him hunched over, she realized they were going to have to find room in the apartment somewhere for a desk for him to use. If he kept working on the sofa table, he was going to hurt his back, and she wanted him strong and healthy when it came time to carry her over the threshold. She giggled at the thought as she snaked her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Whatcha doin'?" she intoned in a sing-song voice, realizing that, as usual, he was so focused on what he was doing that he hadn't even noticed her arrival.

Leonard started and closed the lid of the laptop, turning towards the woman who was, by now, practically sitting in his lap. "Oh – uh – nothing. You know. Ummm… wor..work."

Penny wasn't fooled. When he stumbled like that, he was usually hiding something. It was ok, though. She wasn't concerned. She also knew that it usually simply meant that he wasn't quite ready to share whatever he was up to with her. He would tell her eventually. It was probably just some expensive sci-fi convention that he wanted to attend, or some silly bit of movie memorabilia that he wanted to buy, and which they did not have room for, but which she would let him buy anyway and they would find some corner somewhere to put it, whatever it was. She loved that he discussed these things with her now; asked her opinion and made sure she was ok with it, even though they were living almost entirely on his salary. He truly shared everything with her and never made her feel like she wasn't one-hundred percent part of the relationship. She looked forward to the day when she could contribute more to their little love nest. Maybe enough more that they could move to a bigger nest.

"Oh. Okay," was all she said as she leaned forward and kissed him, relishing in the talented way he used his lips and tongue. That crazy cat was still very much alive. Leonard made her toes tingle and curl with every kiss. She wondered sometimes about the women Leonard dated before she moved into the building. She knew that despite his friend's jokes, there had been a few. Did none of them know a good thing? Or was it that when he kissed her it was…different somehow. She supposed she would never know. She was only glad that none of the women before her had latched on. Their loss…

"So how'd it go on the set today?" Leonard asked, "It's awfully late. You didn't get into a fight with the director again, did you?" He leaned back on the sofa and pulled her against him, cradling her head against his chest.

She started a moment, indignant that he assumed she got into trouble on every job. It was her zeal for her craft that got her fired off that stupid gorilla movie. It wasn't her fault if the director didn't care a thing for the quality of the work they did. She would put her best effort into everything she did, whether it was Tennessee Williams or a hemorrhoid commercial. More than one casting director assured her that they really believed she was uncomfortable sitting on that horse.

"I'll have you know things went really well," she said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. "In fact, the reason I'm late is that I had to stay and take a meeting with my agent and the producers." She realized she was beginning to squirm up and down in her seat, her thrill at telling Leonard the good news getting the better of her. "They really like the chemistry between my character and one of the leads. They want me to come back for two episodes at the end of the season, and they offered me a conditional contract to come back for a recurring role next season!"

"Conditional?" Leonard asked, a tone of concern in his voice.

"That just means that my contract is conditional on the show being renewed. But it's a popular show, so I'm sure it'll be renewed."

Leonard stiffened and pulled away slightly. She sat up to look at him.

"So that means, after this shoot is over," he said, "You'll be going back to work in…?"

"About two weeks." She stared at him. This was not the reaction she was expecting. "Leonard, sweetie, there's something you need to learn before we get married. There's a thing that married people do. When the wife – or future wife – comes home with good news, the husband – or future husband – is happy and shares her excitement. You don't seem to be sharing, Leonard."

Leonard reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I am excited for you Penny. I really am. It's just that…" he paused and drew his arms back, leaning over to open the laptop. "It's just that I was planning a little surprise and I figured you would be free after you finished this filming. I've got some vacation time coming and I realized that, aside from a couple of weekends, we've never really taken a vacation together."

Penny patted the knee that was snuggled up to hers, then gently stroked her fiancé's thigh. "We went to Nebraska together last summer, or are you trying to forget that?" She laughed, knowing Leonard had enjoyed his time on her parents' farm although he'd been the epitome of a fish out of water. Part of her got just a teeny bit jealous at the way her father and her husband-to-be got along. After a short talk with her mother, she resolved to be happy about it, and pray their camaraderie would last. As her mother pointed out, it was far preferable to the alternative.

"You know I had a great time!" Leonard protested, turning back to face her. "I think your folks are great and I can't wait to go back for Christmas."

"I know, I know, Leonard," she assured him, "I'm just teasing you. Now tell me more about this vacation idea."

Leonard turned back to his laptop and typed in his password to unlock the screensaver. "The university wants to send me to Switzerland for a week in May to work with the team at CERN. They'll pay for my airfare, and a nice hotel room for the week. I talked to Dr. Gablehouser and he's ok with me staying an extra three weeks after I'm finished, so I can use up some of the vacation time that I'll lose otherwise. It would save us quite a bit, and we could spend the next three weeks travelling through Europe. We could go to France and Italy – anywhere you want. But if you're committed to working on the show, then you won't be able to go."

Penny squeezed his hand. "Leonard! I can't believe you're doing this! I'd love to go! And the show won't be a problem, silly. I'm only in two more episodes this season then the show is on hiatus from mid-April until they start filming again in August. I'll be free for the whole month of May and you can whisk me off to Switzerland or Paris or anywhere you want!" She threw her arms around him again and nearly knocked the laptop off the table.

"We might not have a lot of time together the first week," Leonard continued, trying to type with one hand to bring up the itinerary he'd been planning, as the other arm was trapped by the firm hold his excited girlfriend had around him. "But you can go shopping in Geneva. It's one of the greatest shopping destinations in Europe. You'll love it."

Penny thought of all the European shoes and fashions she was going to at least get to try on and she squealed in excitement. "If I don't spend us into the poorhouse! Leonard, are you sure this is such a good idea? Oh and the chocolate!" She paused and sat back. "Leonard, I'm going to blow up like a pig on Swiss chocolate!"

"I'll still love you," he replied automatically. "Even if you need a seat belt extender on the flight home." He smiled and gripped her hand. "Here we go. This is just a tentative itinerary. We can change anything, except the first week, of course." He pointed to a list of cities on the screen. "I've done two options. The first is a whirlwind tour that takes us from Geneva to Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Berlin, Prague, Munich, Milan, Venice, Rome and Naples. We spend only a day or two in each city. Just enough to look around and get a flavor, then move on."

Penny felt her eyes go wide at the thought of so many new places one right after the other. It was breathtaking to think of.

"The second option is to pick just three cities and spend a full week in each one. We don't get to see as much of the continent that way, but it'll be more relaxing and we'll have more energy to enjoy the ummmm… romantic ambiance." He grinned broadly and released her hand, then put his arm around her back and pulled Penny closer so that he could kiss her again, his kiss holding the promise of lots and lots of romantic ambiance.

"Both ideas sound wonderful," Penny buried her face in his shoulder then tilted her head up to kiss his neck. "But I think I'd rather have the romance instead of the whirlwind. I just don't know which cities. Can we think about it for a bit?"

Leonard closed the laptop again and pushed it into the center of the sofa table. "Sure. We'll need to make reservations in two or three weeks to be sure we can get good accommodations, but I'll leave it up to you. I'll be happy no matter where we are, as long as I'm with you."

"Well then," Penny gently nipped his earlobe, then whispered into his ear, "Why don't we take this discussion back into the bedroom and you can tell me more about this 'romantic ambiance'".

She grabbed his hand and pulled him up off the couch, leading the way. As they tumbled onto the bed together, she realized that she'd never in her entire life done anything like this before. "I'm going on VACATION!" she yelled.

. . . . . . . .

June 2, 2014


End file.
